Give a Reason: Full Moon wo Sagashite Style
by tonbo-chan
Summary: PLEASE read author notes before claiming this plagiarism, The consequence of Usagi's wish makes her into a shinigami, doomed to take the lives of those whose time is up.
1. Default Chapter

_Okay, before you cry 'FOUL!' and accuse me of copying Usa-chan, there's something you should know... I *AM* Usa-chan! This is a joint account between me and Tenshi no Nozomi, If you don't believe me do a search for 'Sailor Ronin Usa-chan' and look at my profile ^.~ Now, that's over with... This is again another Give a Reason, since its written with Tenshi no Nozomi's help and not just with my own talents, it will be hosted on this joint account. This Give a Reason focuses on the consequences of what happens in the prologue, and furthermore its a crossover with an anime that I'm deeply in love with right now, Full Moon wo Sagashite. I've tried really hard to write the fanfictions that are crossed over with this series in order for others who have never heard of it, let alone seen it, to be able to understand the characters and the motivations behind them. Now, as for this one its going to have spoilers in it, simply because of a plot point I have planned, and Izumi acts a bit too much like Schuldich in the next chapter, but that was my impression of him while watching the series. Anyway, yes, there are spoilers but I'll try to not give TOO many away to you. Now that that's finished... Please enjoy the ficlet. Ah, if you want more information on the series do a search on Google, or look at the other fanfiction Nozomi-mouto and I have written under this account 'Matter of Time'_

_This chapter was written by my Onnesan Eternal Sailor M. All future chapters will be dedicated to her and it's because of her this ficcie is being written. This prologue is rated PG13 for the mention of suicide. Please enjoy and review. _

***

**Give a Reason**

**Prologue: The Ungrantable Wish**

Her heart was breaking.

At least that's how it felt to the queen. Though she looked as young as twenty-one that estimate was no where near close to her real age. For the woman standing there tears trailing down her cheeks was over a thousand years old. Her husband was dead, of old age of all things, yet she lingered on, immortal in a world where people, even heros, eventually had to die.

Even the great King Endymion, Tuxedo Kamen, her Mamo-chan. . . And no one could bring him back. She knew; she'd tried. Even Pluto had refused her requests, her orders, her beggings. It was hopeless.

"Holy Ginzuishou," she whispered to the small crystal resting on its pedastel beside her so-lonely throne, "I must beg of you one wish. I haven't asked you for anything since the Crystal Utopia was formed, but now I must beg this." She cupped the crystal between her hands and held it before her staring into it seeing a slightly hazy reflection of her tear-stained face. "Please, let me die. Let me die now, and join Endymion in eternity."

The Ginzuishou flickered once, twice, as it tried to grant her request. She stared straight into it, hope that she hadn't allowed herself to feel in so long slowly seeping back into her. Maybe this time. . .

As she stared all she could think of was rejoining her friends. She'd outlived everyone, even her Inner Senshi. They had met their own true loves, and on their behalf she had asked the Ginzuishou to release them from the curse of their long lives, their barrenness, for love and family.

It had all seemed so romantic at the time and the Queen had never given a thought to what they were really giving up. That is until two hundred years ago when Ami died. Serenity closed her eyes in rememberance. She had went to the funeral and had been uprepared. She remembered staring in almost horror at the withered grey-haired form in the casket. Not her shy blue-haired friend but a stranger.

A mere twenty years after that Makoto had died. Serenity again had been in a trance as she had stared at the old woman who seemed asleep. They aged as she did not. She still looked as she had when she had married her Mamoru back when she was known as Usagi and didn't have the worries she now dealt with.

Then not even five years later Serenity's closest friend Rei finally died. Serenity bowed her head in almost shame. 

That funeral had been the only one where she had cried for any of her Senshi, her friends. Minako died one year later and with her went Serenity's tears. She had not shed a single tear until now. Until the death of her husband the only thing keeping her from killing herself.

Serenity's eyes opened and she glared at her flawless flesh. She well remembered the scars that should have been there. The scars that had been there merely a day before vanishing. She remembered the feel of the blade as it had sank into her tender flesh. She remembered seeing the white blood appear. Then she knew... She knew that she wasn't merely cursed with a long life but with an immortal one. 

Endymion himself had been given a long life from the Ginzuishou, like the rest of the earth's population, a Lunarian's life span of 1,000 years, but that hadn't been enough time. Not when she was still alive and still resembling the girl he had married while he was on his death bed.

And then there was her daughter, her ChibiUsa-chan. . . She did not deserve to face her daughter. Not now, not anymore. Even the pink-haired young woman agreed with her self punishment. Yes, it *was* all her fault that Endymion had died. Yes, she should have known he would have not gotten the immortality she had from the Ginzuishou. She was beneath even her daughter's contempt.

The Ginzuishou fell dark. Pain shot through her chest as disappointment set in. Even the Holy Ginzuishou wanted her to continue living and suffering. She tried to fight them back, but tears began to fall from her crystalline blue eyes, and once they started, she couldn't get them to stop.

Through some chance (or mischance), one of her tears landed on the crystal she held in her hands. As always, it reacted, trying harder than ever to grant her wish. It shook in her hand. She glanced sharply down at it, her tears ceasing, just as some sort of light exploded out of it.

'_It's finally granting my wish,_' she thought to herself, smiling into the light. '_Finally I'll be free._'

Then she realized it was shaking because it was shattering. . . No, it wasn't shattering. It was opening and growing! She stared at it shocked while it quickly grew to half the size of her and then she realized it was surrounding her. She stared at it in awe as it grew more and more. '_Is this it?_' she wondered before the crystal completely encased her. She noticed the crystal had stopped growing and then there was a bright silver flash.

That was the last thing she saw, besides endless darkness, for a very long time. Therefore, she missed the facts that she had been imprisoned within what Pluto would call a subspace dimension within the Ginzuishou, and that it was flying off into the distance far, far away from Crystal Tokyo to heal itself, until it was strong enough to grant its owner's wish - and make her and itself mortal.

  
_::End Prologue::_

_  
Written: January 26, 2001_


	2. Chapter One: Izumi Rio

_Okay, before you cry 'FOUL!' and accuse me of copying Usa-chan, there's something you should know... I *AM* Usa-chan! This is a joint account between me and Tenshi no Nozomi, If you don't believe me do a search for 'Sailor Ronin Usa-chan' and look at my profile ^.~ Now, that's over with... This is again another Give a Reason, since its written with Tenshi no Nozomi's help and not just with my own talents, it will be hosted on this joint account. This Give a Reason focuses on the consequences of what happens in the prologue, and furthermore its a crossover with an anime that I'm deeply in love with right now, Full Moon wo Sagashite. I've tried really hard to write the fanfictions that are crossed over with this series in order for others who have never heard of it, let alone seen it, to be able to understand the characters and the motivations behind them. Now, as for this one its going to have spoilers in it, simply because of a plot point I have planned, and Izumi acts a bit too much like Schuldich in the next chapter, but that was my impression of him while watching the series. Anyway, yes, there are spoilers but I'll try to not give TOO many away to you. Now that that's finished... Please enjoy the ficlet._

_Author Notes: And we have yet another GaR. This one is based on my current favorite series, Full Moon wo Sagashite. Since the anime just ended in Japan I'm not sure how many out there are aware of the series, so hopefully this brings more of you to it. Actually starting next chapter there will be quite a few spoilers, and I apologize ^^;; I'll try to limit them but it's a major point of the story soo Anyway, this will be co-written with Tenshi no Nozomi (cause she's a great co-author and really fun to write with) so you can expect a bit of twists and turns as we progress. Enjoy minna-chan and if you'd like more information about the series just do a search for it on Google, and if you enjoy it be sure to go to www.tokyopop.com and vote for it in their survey. _

***

**Chapter One: Izumi Rio**

Her surroundings were hazy and fuzzy, and she absent-mindedly wondered if this was what being inside a cloud would be like. "Where am I?" Her eyes examined the scenery in hopes of finding a clue to her whereabouts. It was all too bizarre.

"Are you Usagi?." The voice boomed from behind her. A figure emerged from the mists as the startled girl turned around to see who had called her name. Before Usagi could respond the odd figure grabbed her arms and as she struggled in its grip, its lips moved in a soundless chant. It watched emotionlessly as her eyes grew vacant and her struggles ceased. "I shall seal away your memories of the past. Shall we go, Shinigami Usagi?" It questioned as it turned with a swish of its robe, and started to walk away.

Usagi had no choice but to follow after, and strangely she felt no real desire to do anything but the wishes of this odd person. That was right, she was a new shinigami. Her mission would be to take the souls of those whose days were up. 

"Izumi, meet your new partner, I trust she'll work out better than your previous one." The figure nodded as the two studied each other. Its job was done. With so many people choosing the easy way out, its job was a tedious one. It was a wonder that the world wasn't overrun with shinigami.

"A new partner" The blonde studied her for a long moment with a frown. "Name?" In his opinion she looked like a scatterbrained nitwit. Could she really take the place of his previous partner?

"Usagi" As he did his inspection of her, Usagi did her own of him. He was blonde as she had noted before, and had the oddest hat that reminder her of a puppy dog's ears. His brown eyes were hard and she could easily tell he wasn't friendly from just looking at them. Actually he looked kind of sadistic, she was supposed to partner with this guy?

"Usagi?" He repeated his lips twitching. "Ah, I see Another foolish bunny to look after, I suppose." He started to turn and glanced at her. "Follow me, we work mainly in the pediatric division so you'll need to dress accordingly."

"Hai," she responded as she slowly followed him. Despite his cruel look, she had to admit he was somewhat of a bishounen. Not that she was interested of course, she was merely making an observation, or so she told herself.

"Are you going to stare at me all day, U-chan?" He questioned his voice slipping into a silky murmur as he caught her staring at him.

Usagi turned scarlet and stared at the ground. "I wasn't staring at you I was just thinking about something else!" She pouted slightly and heard him chuckle. It seemed this was going to be a long day.

"Would you like to be a bunny, U-chan?" Izumi questioned as they got to their destination. "You're not a full fledged shinigami just yet, you won't be until you bring a soul back, so you'll be fitted with temporary powers."

"A bunny?" Usagi's lips twitched faintly. Bunnies She had always loved bunnies, hadn't she? Her past wasn't really clear to her, and from what she somehow knew without being told, if she found it out she'd become a ghost doomed to wander the Earth forever. A shudder coursed through her at the thought. She didn't like ghosts. 

"I doubt you'll look as good as Me-chan," he mused as he snapped his fingers and a pair of bunny ears appeared on the startled girl. "Your outfit is a bit" He studied the royal attire with an amused expression. "Perhaps something a bit more fitting to the job" Again he snapped his fingers and this time Usagi noticed the addition of a bunny tail along with a childish lacy two piece red outfit. 

"What's this?" She demanded as she tugged on a top hat that had appeared. "I don't like it"

"I thought not Me-chan was much cuter." Izumi snapped his fingers and her outfit lengthened into that of a soft blue dress, her hair tumbled from its normal hairdo and shortened to nearly half its usual length, and two sky blue ribbons were tied around her bunny ears. Not to mention the addition of two soft silky wings that stuck out of her upper back, they were small compared to pictures she remembered of the wings of angels.

"Kawaii" Izumi mused with a faint nod. Still, not nearly as cute as his Me-chan but it was a vast improvement over the girl's earlier attire. 

"But" Usagi frowned. "We'll by flying, ne?" She demanded as her cheeks started to turn red. Was this guy serious? "I can't fly with a dress on!"

Izumi chuckled. "That worried, U-chan?" At her glare he smiled. "Shinigami don't have to worry about things like that. Me-chan wears a skirt and doesn't have a problem at all. Besides you have a pair of shorts underneath that in case you need them."

Usagi eyed him warily but peeked under her dress to find out. Indeed, she did have a pair of shorts on. "Anno Arigato" She was very reluctant to thank him, he gave her the creeps.

"Poor, U-chan. You're scared of me, aren't you?" He questioned as he nodded his approval of her outfit. "We have a mission lined up, but you aren't ready yet. Besides we still have another day before we have to actually collect the soul. So, I'm free to show you around today, if you like."

Usagi whimpered at the thought. "No, thank you," she managed to grit out between clenched teeth. No way was she going to spend the day with this type of person! "I'll manage by myself" It was a real shame that her partner had turned out to be someone like this. She was the type that loved having friends and it was obvious this wasn't going to be much of a friendship.

"Don't be so hasty, U-chan." Izumi chided as he causally draped his arm around her shoulders. "It's dangerous for new shinigami to wander around here alone." It was fun having someone around to torture. Me-chan wasn't around enough for his liking.

Usagi slipped out of his grasp and sighed. She had no choice. She was going to have to listen to him. "Can I ask you a question?"

Izumi raised an eyebrow. She was requesting something from him? How peculiar. "Depending on the question." He watched her with a guarded expression as her eyes fell to the ground. "Well?'

"If people can't see us Why are we dressed up?" She tugged on her dress with a sigh. She had a feeling she had worn much shorter, but she still wasn't thrilled with the idea that it felt more like a skirt than an actual dress. At the thought of a skirt her eyes widened slightly as she had the faintest flash of a woman wearing such an item. She winced and raised a hand to her brow to quell the pain.

Izumi's eyes narrowed at the action. "Problem, U-chan?" It was odd that she got a glimpse of her past so soon after becoming a shinigami. He had been one for quite a while and he had yet to have a glimpse. Not that he'd want it of course. For him to end up here there had to have been a reason, he didn't want to know it.

"Iie" Usagi shook off the pain and rubbed at her forehead. "Just a slight pang, its gone now." 

"Good," Izumi decided aloud as he tilted his head. "Because I don't need a sick partner or one that's going to turn into a ghost anytime soon. I assume you don't know anything about catching souls, ne?"

"Well" Usagi focused and her hand began to glow a dull green color. A stately golden bow appeared in the air above the glow and Usagi glanced at Izumi. "This has something to do with it, ne?"

Izumi nodded, his eyes clearly distracted. "Un, then after we shoot the person and bring out the soul, we capture it so it can be brought back here safely, understand?"

"Hai" Usagi focused and the bow vanished. "You never answered about these clothes."

Izumi shrugged. "The chief insists we wear such things. Unlike Me-chan and Ta-kun our team doesn't yet have a nickname, thankfully." It was clear he didn't approve of such things. "Now, you know how to acquire the soul, and how to carry it"

Usagi nodded. "And why we have to dress like this" She tugged gently on her bunny-like ear. "So who is this Me-chan you keep talking about?"

Izumi's expression relaxed and Usagi could almost swear she saw him smile. "Me-chan was my previous partner. Unfortunately she decided to do something that forced me to dissolve that partnership," his lips curved into a frown as he remembered this, "So now she's partnered with Ta-kun, a useless shinigami who has yet to bring back a single soul" 

"That doesn't make him useless," Usagi defended, not liking the fact that Izumi was picking on someone that wasn't there to defend themselves."I'm sure there were reasons he didn't do it."

"He's too soft," Izumi responded. "Me-chan lets him get away with too much Take their current case for example."

"Their current case?" The odd note in his voice had Usagi worried. What was he talking about? Was their current case that much of a problem?

Izumi sighed and shook his head. His partner didn't listen very well. "Stop daydreaming, and listen, U-chan," he reprimanded before repeating what he had just spoke, "their current case, Kouyama Mitsuki, can see them."

Usagi's eyes widened. She might not have been a shinigami for long but she knew that such a thing wasn't normal. "She can really see them?" A shiver ran through her. If that was true and one of her cases was able to see her Would she be able to pull the bow's string and take their soul?

"Not only can she see them, but both Me-chan and her partner are helping the girl. They don't know I realize this, nor do they realize I've been keeping an eye on Me-chan. They won't be able to complete their job when their mission is complete. We'll probably have to end up doing it for them, like I said, too soft."

Usagi winced at the thought. "But its their job, ne? I'm sure when the time comes they'll do what they have to" The thought of coming in and taking the soul of another group's charge, left Usagi feeling cold and hopeless inside. He couldn't really be thinking of doing such a thing, could he?

"Me-chan could do it, I'm sure of that But Ta-kun is another matter. Honestly, I don't think he can do anything right." Izumi leaned against a wall as he lost himself in his thoughts. "Would you like to go meet their charge beforehand? That way when we have no choice but to fulfill out duties, you'll be able to do them without a problem. It's not everyday that a human can see us shinigami afterall."

Usagi fought a whimper. This guy was cruel, if she did meet this girl, whose to say that she wouldn't want to protect her and rebel against her job? Usagi hated the thought of taking the life of children, she hated taking the lives of anyone, but she well understood the consequences if she failed to perform her duties. "H Has there been any other cases of shinigami being seen by humans?"

"They're rare" Izumi glanced over his shoulder at the girl and pushed himself off the wall. "Though, I suppose I could let you meet one of them. He's on our list to be taken soon."

Usagi swallowed hard and closed her eyes. Did she really want to meet someone who could see her? "Ha Hai I should be ready for any circumstance, ne?" She queried. It was true, if she expected to survive in this world she would have to abide by the rules.

Izumi chuckled, "Hai," he agreed before floating into the air. "Well then, U-chan, this way."

**

The older gentleman looked up as two glowing dots appeared in the sky and started to approach him. His eyes slid to the side to his rosebushes where the roses stayed not quite blooming. "I see you've come for me a bit early" He eyed the new shinigami beside the first with a faint smile. "Nice to meet you, Shinigami-san."

Usagi flushed, it was odd being seen by a human. "N nice to meet you as well We're not here for your soul, not yet." She glanced at Izumi hopeful that her words were the truth, "ne?"

Izumi nodded, once again amused. This partner of his was proving to be quite the entertainment. Hopefully she wouldn't end up the way that Me-chan did. "She's right." He didn't need to tell this human any other information. It was none of his business why the two were there.

"I see" The man closed his eyes and gently rocked the old swing back and forth. "I suppose I'm an oddity in the shinigami world, aren't I?" He motioned with a hand to the two. "Seeing that I can see your type and all"

A small nod from Usagi, "Hai Gomen if we interrupted anything" Why wasn't he scared of them? Shouldn't humans normally be running or fighting to keep their lives? He almost looked like he wanted to die.

The man chuckled softly and shook his head. "No worries, Shinigami-san. I'm just waiting for my wife's flowers to bloom She loved them so"

Usagi winced. This man had lost his wife? No wonder he didn't seem upset that shinigami had came to visit him! "Gomen for your loss"

Izumi rolled his eyes at the girl's sympathies. "We have another place to visit. Come along," it was an order and the girl realized it instantly. 

"Good-bye" Usagi wasn't sure what else to say and gave a weak wave as she followed Izumi. "Where are we going now?"

"A concert" Izumi smirked. "Though I must warn you that we're going in secret so be sure to not be seen, ne?" The last thing he needed was Ta-kun and Me-chan meeting his partner just yet, not until after they finished their mission. If they met them beforehand there was a chance that the girl would balk at her duty, just like those other two were doing.

She had no choice but to nod. Seeing how Izumi was her sempai she had to obey his orders. But why where they going to a concert? Surely he wasn't considering that they take the life of a concertgoer?

"Perfect seats" Izumi settled down in one of the seats and ignored his partner as she took a seat next to him. This was the perfect place to spy on his Me-chan and their charge. 

"Pretty" Usagi was in awe as she stared at the young woman that walked onto the stage. "She's so pretty Is this her concert?"

"Hai," Izumi agreed. "Full Moon She's the one I was telling you about, the charge of Me-chan's." He noticed the girl next to him slump a bit and frowned. 

"MoonI know that word" Usagi shook her head, she didn't want to remember. The idea that she accidentally might, terrified her. "Maybe I should go" Did the beautiful girl on stage have something to do with her past? Would it come rushing back any moment now?

"You should just forget about remembering it." Izumi's voice sounded close to Usagi's ear. "Including the faint flashes you've somehow acquired over small things Just forget it all and do your job as a shinigami, unless you want to be a ghost?"

A shudder shook Usagi's body and her bunny ears drooped. That was the last thing she wanted. "Iie I want to forget, but they won't go so easily What should I do, Izumi-san?"

"U-chan, we're partners, call me Izumi-kun at least." He watched as her cheeks tinted and she stared at the ground. "As for your question Just replace those faint memories with new ones. Make new memories of the the things that are giving you the flashes of memory, and think of those memories. Concentrate on those memories, and the rest will fade into the back of your mind to be forgotten."

Usagi was stunned. Izumi sounded like he was fairly knowledgeable on the subject. "Arigato" But what could she create a new memory of that would give new meaning to skirts and the word moon?

Izumi glanced sidelong at his companion. "Perhaps a change of scenery This girl is almost done anyway, isn't she?" As the last notes of the girl's song faded into the background and she took her final bows, Izumi got up from his seat. "What about a trip somewhere?"

"A trip?" Usagi didn't take her eyes off the pretty blonde singer. "Where to?" The girl down there was so talented for someone so young. It actually made something inside Usagi ache. What would it be like to be a singer like that? 

"If you're going to ask a question, U-chan, you shouldn't let your mind wander before it's answered," Izumi sighed and shook his head. It seemed his first idea of the girl was correct. She was constantly daydreaming. "As for where we're going We're going to America."

"America?" Usagi's eyes widened. She knew for a fact, even without her memories, she had never been there before. "Why do we need to go there? What's there that we have to see?"

"You don't want to go there?" Izumi almost chuckled as he saw the shock and fear in her eyes. "We don't have to" His words trailed off and he glanced around. "In any case, we need to leave here before those two realize we're here. I'm not ready for them to know of my presence just yet."

"Why are you spying on them?" The words were blurted out before she really thought about them. "I mean" She started to correct herself but silenced as she earned a glare from the no longer amused Izumi.

"Spying?" His eyes narrowed. "U-chan, you shouldn't accuse others of such things unless you're sure. It's not a nice thing to do." As she winced before him he shook his head slightly and glanced around. So far neither of the other shinigami duo had noticed them, not yet anyway. "Now, I don't really care where we go, as long as we leave here."

"Demo" Usagi glanced over at the young singer as she took her bows and flashed a smile at someone across the stage. Usagi's eyes followed those of the singer's and she stared shocked as she noticed two shinigami. "Are they Me-chan and Ta-kun?" She questioned Izumi as she stared. But, neither of them looked cruel and heartless! Why was she stuck with the sadistic partner? 

Izumi scowled, he was past the point of hiding his anger. "We're going now, U-chan," he demanded as he grabbed hold of her arm and led her away from the sage, and the eyes of those he didn't want to know his presence.

**

"Itai" Usagi finally broke his grip on her arm and rubbed at where four small round bruises were starting to form. "Why'd you do that?" She demanded with a wince. "I just wanted to get a better look"

Izumi ignored her as he closed his eyes in concentration. They had retreated to a base of sorts he had claimed as his own on Earth. Had the other two seen them? It was quite possible, his partner tended to stick out too much, especially considering the fact that when she was 'trying to get a better look' she had been hovering above her seat.

If possible, Usagi was even more upset than Izumi. So what if she leaned forward? It wasn't a crime! Why'd he have to hurt her over it? She sent a glare at his back, but as usual, was completely ignored. Of all the shinigami she could have been paired with, why him? "Ne"

Izumi didn't even open his eyes. "Nande?" Why was the blonde rabbit trying to pull him from his plans of revenge? Couldn't she be silent for more than five minutes? "Well?"

Usagi knew he wasn't watching her, but never the less, she glanced away. "Actually Why was I paired up with you? Are you a great shinigami or something?"

This was actually enough to make Izumi open one eye and he studied her for a moment to see if she asked the question in jest. As he realized she was serious, he reluctantly opened both eyes. "U-chan, I've been a shinigami for a very long time. Shinigami that actively take souls really don't have much rank, but if they did, yes, I'd be one of the higher ones. As for why you were paired up with me" He shrugged carelessly and closed his eyes again. "It was a whim of the Chief's. He pairs shinigami up with his own style. There doesn't seem to be much sense of it, though he does tend to pair up differing personalities."

Usagi almost shuddered at that remark. That was right, she and Izumi were completely different. But yet "Ne, Izumi-sempai, are you really as evil as you sound? I mean, you act evil and sadistic, but you haven't really been mean to me"

"Unlike Me-chan I don't use my rank over others," he reprimanded. What a strange rabbit his partner was. A foolish rabbit, but strange and yes, even somewhat cute. "Saa Who knows." 

"You said our first mission is tomorrow, right?" She questioned. She wasn't sure if she liked the idea of knowing she was going to take a human life. "Whose life are we going to take?"

"I'll tell you who they are after we have the soul." Izumi turned slightly towards the questioning bunny and peered at her through half-opened eyes. "Will you really be ready tomorrow, U-chan? If you fail in bringing back the soul, you'll be punished."

"You'll be there, right?" Usagi demanded. She didn't even want to think about herself doing the deed. "You'll be the one that takes the actual soul Ne?" She didn't care if the last part sounded desperate, she didn't know what she did in her previous life, but she knew she couldn't take someone's life so easily. 

"Iie," Izumi chuckled. "Consider it your initiation, U-chan. You'll be taking the actual soul, be proud, not many new shinigami get such a generous chance to prove themselves. We're leaving in the morning, it will take awhile to get to where our target is."

"Where is our target?" Usagi didn't want to admit the truth, not even to someone like this. It was impossible for her to do what was being demanded of her. But wasn't her previous existence something that was demanded of her as well? The thought sent her to her knees as she had a brief flash of a younger version of herself crying over the loss of her childhood, to the demons of duty. 

"U-chan!" It wasn't a scream for her safety, but actually more of a sharp snap. "It's been awhile since I've had such an interesting partner" He got to his feet and walked over to the shaking girl. "U-chan, I'm not going to let you quit so easily, without Me-chan around I'm missing a source of entertainment So you're going to be my entertainment." He caught her wrist as she tried to slap him and smiled down at her, "Ne, U-chan?" He whispered his breath tickling her ear before he pulled back and smiled easily at her. "I'm going to have fun having you as a partner, U-chan..." His eyes studied her for a moment and he smiled dangerously, "So don't turn into a ghost on me just yet, the fun is just beginning."  



	3. Chapter Two: Sakurai Eichi

_Author Notes: Sorry it took forever to get the next chapter of this out... Call me lazy if you like ^^; or you can spend that same amount of time thanking 'Angel-Goddess' her birthday is coming up and this is what she wanted updated. Now I'm going to warn you, there's some pretty big spoilers in this story that can take away some of the emotional roller coaster the Full Moon series is..._

_Myst Lady: As many as come to mind... I rarely watch a series to try to create a GaR. Just an idea pops into my mind and I have to write it ^^;; and yes, if other people want to do GaR's for the other senshi they're welcome to, though I'm not sure if keeping the GaR name would help them much? _

_SA2-mouto-chan: Well... no, Usagi is a shinigami and if she regains her memories she'll turn into a ghost... not exactly something that would be a good thing._

_Allyna: Well for the series I recommend doing a search for it on google... and if you have BitTorrent you can download it right away and enjoy. For the manga... I have a link   
http://www.fullmoon.prv.pl/ don't be fooled by the look of the page, the manga *is* in English._

_Fluence: Ack! I didn't even catch that I was doing that! I'll try to stop explaining *everything* about a scene so that author deity thing doesn't kick in ^^;; thanks for catching that though. As for why... well for the full story you can read the prologue from the original GaR, or I could just tell you. Usagi had attained immortality in her world and all of her loved ones died from old age. She tried to follow but couldn't manage to kill herself. In desperation she asked for help from the Ginzuishou and it managed to help her finish the job. But because she used it to commit suicide she got the same judgment as if she had succeeded in her earlier attempts. Hope that helped and I didn't ramble too long._

_To the Izumi lovers...: Kya! Isn't he the coolest?_

_Small note: The chief? Well he isn't a *real* character in the FM universe. He exists but we only hear of him, we never see him. So his personality, looks and such are only what I imagine him to be like._

***

**Chapter Two: Sakurai Eichi**

It was a small two lane country road that curved around the mountainside. Despite the two lanes it would be impossible to actually fit two cars together at the same time on the small strip. It had rained earlier in the day and because of the cold weather it hadn't taken long for it to turn into a frozen sheet of ice virtually invisible on the pass. 

"Why are we here?" Usagi demanded as she eyed the sheet of ice in trepidation. Were they going to kill the target their self? She would have been prepared if it was someone dying from old age. She could handle that, or at least that's what she told herself. But they had to actually cause an accident? It sent a shiver down her spine. "Izumi-sempai," she whimpered as she heard the unmistakable sound of a car approaching.

"Relax, U-chan," Izumi whispered as his eyes focused on the small car that climbed the pass. Good, they were on time. He had used his powers to add to the sheet of ice. He didn't trust mere nature to take care of his job. The headlights of the car appeared over one of the curves and their light bathed the area in sickly glow. Izumi snapped his fingers as soon as the car crossed onto the icy terrain. A loud squeal erupted from the vehicle as a tire blew and the occupants of the vehicle vainly tried to keep the car on the road.

Usagi watched in wide-eyed horror as the hands on the wheel flew up to shield their owner's face as the car swerved out of control and into a small guard rail. She breathed a sigh of relief and started to snap her own fingers in an attempt to save them when she heard a long drawn out wail of a horn. Startled she turned towards the source of the noise and watched stunned as a semi truck slammed into the family car. She watched in stunned horror as the car toppled off the side of the mountain and landed in a fiery wreck at the base of it. She was so distracted by the spectacle she didn't notice the semi truck vanish without a trace. "No..."

Izumi glanced at his companion as she paled and rolled his eyes. "Come, we must go collect our target's soul." He summoned a small cage in his hand and watched as the girl tried to take a breath. "Will you let him suffer in pain without the bliss of death?" he questioned and saw a light of resolve kindle to life in her eyes.

Usagi tried not to think about her part in the accident and flew down to the smoking wreck. Izumi was already pulling two other souls into the cage and she frowned at him in confusion. "I thought we only had one target? Was there an entire family here?" she demanded as she finally landed by the remains of the car. She opened the backdoor to the car and winced as she saw the boy strapped in the burning wreckage. "Gomen," she whispered as she focused her power and her palm started to glow green.

Eichi turned towards the pale flickering light as he fought to remain conscious. There was a fuzzy outline of a girl holding some sort of bow. For a moment the fuzzy features were replaced by someone else's. "Mitsuki..." but as soon as he said the words the vision cleared and he saw a blonde girl crying as she pulled the taunt string of a bow backwards. No, that wasn't his Mitsuki. As a shudder coursed through his body he closed his eyes in pain and never opened them again.

Usagi watched as the soul started to float towards the cage that Izumi still held. Biting her lip she turned away from the accident scene and let the tears fall. "I can't do this, Izumi-sempai. I can't kill people." Usagi's eyes suddenly widened as she remembered the name whispered. "Mitsuki?" she whispered and watched as the advancing soul suddenly stopped. "Did he mean the same Mitsuki who Takuto-san and Meroko-san are going to kill?"

With a small pop the small cloud that had once been a soul turned into the full figure of the boy that had been killed. "Someone is going to kill Mitsuki?" he demanded as he whirled on a startled Usagi. "I won't let either of you touch her..." he whispered as he clenched his fist. He didn't seem to care in the least that he was now a semitransparent ghost.

Izumi was scowling. It was rare for a soul to resist the lure of the cage. Even rarer for them to turn into ghost form by their self, "don't be foolish," he whispered and watched as those furious eyes focused on him. "If you refuse to come with us peacefully you'll be doomed to wander forever as a mere ghost. When Mi-ki dies you won't be able to follow. Do you really want separated from her so badly?"

Eichi thought this over only for a moment. "I don't care what happens to me... I won't let you kill Mitsuki." He was aware that he could be wrong. Perhaps they were talking about another Mitsuki, but somewhere deep in his heart he knew they were talking about his sweet singer. "I'll do anything to keep you away from her."

Usagi realized that she had screwed up. Because of her question, the target was refusing to join them. She glanced uneasily at Izumi as she tried to figure out how she could make this right. "We're not going to kill your Mitsuki," she finally managed to whisper and watched as those eyes settled on her. Ghost or not she could still see the intensity in his hazel gaze. "It's her throat... she's going to lose her life because of the cancer in her throat."

Izumi's eyes narrowed more. "U-chan," he interrupted his voice gaining a sharp edge in a reprimand. "Don't say another word." His caution was heeded as the girl fell silent and stared down at the ground. Satisfied with his trainee's demeanor he turned back to the ghost. "This is your last chance. Join with your family in heaven or... be a ghost forever and never be able to join them again." 

Eichi studied the two drastically different spirits. He wasn't sure what they were. If it been only the girl he would of thought of angels, but if it had been the guy he'd think a demon was dragging him to the gates of hell. Could they be grim reapers? No wait... what was their name back in his homeland? Shinigami... They were shinigami. "I'll sacrifice anything to keep her safe."

"U-chan," Izumi snapped and watched as the girl jerked to attention. "I have to deliver these to the Chief. You can stay here until I return but when I come back we're leaving," he glanced at the ghost, "without him."

Usagi nodded and watched as Izumi snapped his fingers and vanished from sight. She was left with the now solemn ghost who was staring at the wreckage. "Let's move away from here," she suggested and turned her back on the scene and wandered deeper into the woods. When she felt they were far enough away from the sights and smells of the accident she let herself slump to the ground. She hadn't been prepared to do such a thing to anyone. Being a shinigami was a punishment, there was no doubt about that now. She didn't remember much about her former life, just that she had killed herself. Whatever had happened in the past... was it really worth this punishment that would last for eternity?

Eichi noticed the grieving of the shinigami and studied her in confusion. He had made his choice to follow this pair to wherever they might lead if it meant finding his Mitsuki again. He was determined to do whatever it took to make sure she lived a long happy life. A simple smile from her was worth his life. But why was this shinigami grieving? And who was she grieving for? "Are you alright?" he approached her carefully in case this was all a farce to trick him back to that cage.

Usagi glanced up at his questioning voice and paled as she realized she was crying. She tried to wipe the tears away but they kept flowing. "I... I didn't want to kill anyone," she finally answered as she chanced a glance at the ghost. "I helped kill your family... I told you about Mitsuki-san and ruined your chances to go to heaven." She sniffed at the thought and finally took a shaky breath. "I'll try to help you see Mitsuki-san but..." she trailed off and glanced around to make sure Izumi wasn't around. "I don't know what can be done to save her... if anything. It's her destiny to die soon. She has another shinigami pair following her. They're helping her live out her dream."

Eichi shook his head at her reasoning. "No, it's not just her throat. I saw you and your partner. My family didn't die until you took their souls. Mitsuki won't die if her soul remains in her body. I won't let anyone take her life from her." He turned his vision upwards and studied the sky. It would be dark soon and there was no sign of the moon. He had grown to hate these types of nights. He wanted to see the moon always. 

Usagi leaned against a nearby tree as she watched her companion sink into a sea of thoughts. She wanted to help him. Something inside of her told her that she was someone that helped others. She protected them and defended them... She wasn't meant to hurt them. She didn't try to focus too much on the odd feeling she just heeded its advice. She would try to help this boy. "Did you know Mitsuki-san is an idol singer?" she questioned as she decided to prod the boy from his depressing thoughts.

That caught his attention. He whirled towards her his eyes brightening to an almond color. "Is that true? How is that..." he trailed off as he remembered one of her earlier comments. "The shinigami following her... they're helping her?" his smile vanished as he pondered it. It just didn't make sense. Why would a shinigami help Mitsuki? "They're killing her!" he whispered horrified as he imagined his Mitsuki standing on stage and singing while the tumor in her throat grew. "That's too cruel..."

Usagi was up in an instant and frantically waving her hands in a signal that he was wrong. "No!" she interrupted his upcoming tirade. "That's not true! When Mitsuki-san sings she's not in her body... She's in the body of a sixteen year old named Full Moon who is perfectly healthy. It doesn't hurt her at all. I promise you that they're not doing such a horrible thing."

Eichi thought about all of the stories he had heard about shinigami. How they were cruel and merciless. How they would lie to crying children and cut those precious lives short. But... even as he thought all these things as he stared at the frantic girl he couldn't quite bring himself to believe she was lying. In fact... he believed her. She would probably be his only ally in saving his Mitsuki.

**

A scream tore from a ravaged throat and Mitsuki trembled as she sobbed uncontrollably. Both of her friends had woken at the scream and tried to tend to the hysteric girl. Her throat burned like wildfire from the scream that had erupted but even worse, she felt as if all the happiness in the world had suddenly blinked out of existence.

"Mitsuki!" Takuto tried to snap the girl out of it but all she could do was sob. His eyes widened in horror as she started to gasp in pain and hold her throat while still drowning both him and the worried Meroko in tears. "Meroko, take care of the rest of the house before she wakes them up," he hissed as he snapped his fingers and summoned a glass of water. "Here, drink this," he tried to persuade as those glazed frightened eyes focused on him. 

Mitsuki nodded but couldn't stop her trembling so was forced to drink as Takuto held it to her lips. By the time Meroko had returned from casting a spell on the others, Mitsuki's tears had finally slowed and she was hugging her pillow as she shook like a leaf. "Takuto...Meroko," she whispered as a soft smile of thanks appeared on her young face.

"What's wrong, Mitsuki?" Meroko questioned and was relieved to see that the haunted expression had vanished from those clear brown eyes. "What happened? Does your throat hurt that badly?"

Mitsuki shook her head as she hugged the pillow close and tried to remember what had woken her up. "I think I was dreaming..." she frowned and eyed the two warily. "It wasn't even a nightmare but... I was in this car up on this pretty mountain. I remember a loud popping sound and the car kind of swerved but it was back under control really quickly... then I saw this girl that kind of looked like Full Moon but only with blue eyes instead of brown. Something else happened after that but I don't remember." She flushed and let her eyes fall. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Takuto, Meroko."

Both shinigami tended to the girl but were still sitting up and disturbed long after the child succumbed to sleep. "Takuto... what do you think happened?" Meroko questioned as she watched Mitsuki slumber. She noticed the covers working their way off Mitsuki's shoulders and the shiver this produced. She reached down and tucked them around the sleeping figure before turning to her partner. "One of us should go check in with the chief. There might be more shinigami after her." Meroko had heard stories about some of the less gentle shinigami that tortured their targets in their sleep and stole every restful moment from them. By the time the day finally came for those poor souls all of the victims were all too willing to let the darkness overtake them. It surprised her but she didn't want such a fate for Mitsuki.

"Un," Takuto agreed as he tried to erase the image of heartbroken shock from his mind. He too realized it couldn't have been a simple nightmare to torment Mitsuki so. "She's got a few days off from work... so I'll go check with the chief. Keep a close eye on her, Meroko," he advised before floating through the roof of the room and vanishing from sight.

Meroko sighed and brought out her worn handkerchief. It was a nervous habit of hers. One she hadn't been quite able to break herself from no matter how hard she tried. She was sure it was probably something she did before she died. Her teeth found the corner of one of the less chewed edges and her teeth worked the fabric as she worried about what was going to happen. She was jealous of Mitsuki, there was no doubt about that... Nevertheless, she didn't want the girl to suffer. She was her first case that she had grown attached to in a long while. '_Don't worry, Mitsuki, we'll do our best to protect you_,' Meroko thought but didn't have the strength to say such a thing out loud. Instead, she merely watched over the girl until the morning light bathed the easily slumbering figure.

**

Izumi finished his business with the souls he had captured and glanced warily at his chief's door. Izumi wasn't scared, no; he was beyond that type of emotion. But he wasn't looking forward to telling his boss he had failed in a mission. It had been a long time since Izumi had failed in bringing back a targeted soul. Straightened to his full height he started to reach for the door when he heard another shinigami appearing close by. He quickly found a hiding spot where he could get a good view. The intruder surprised him. What was Takuto doing there?

If Takuto was aware of Izumi he didn't show it as he knocked on the door. His mind bore a vivid image of Mitsuki's heartbroken face. He wasn't sure if it was another shinigami's doing or something else, but he wasn't about to let anyone hurt her like that again. He'd do whatever it took to keep her happy. 

The door opened as if beckoning the shinigami in and without looking back Takuto entered it. His boss was sitting behind an old oak desk with papers stacked as high as the ceiling on either side of the man. The papers swayed as if threatening to fall as they were gently shoved to the side so their owner could get a look to see which shinigami had visited him. To his disappointment it wasn't quite the one he wanted a word with yet. "Takuto, what are you doing here?" 

Takuto eyed the swaying papers with a grimace. If only his boss would trust in technology and get a computer. The paper system had been in place for as long as he knew and the stacks never seemed to get smaller, only taller. In fact he could almost swear the ceiling had been raised to keep up with the flow. "I'm here to ask you a question about team Negi Ramen's case."

Violet eyes widened and the rest of the papers were shoved to the furthest ends of the desk so he could have a better view. "You mean Kouyama Mitsuki?" he had been rummaging through another stack of papers at his side and pulled the paper out on the girl. He brushed a stray white hair away from his eyes as he studied the shinigami closer. He had heard rumors that Negi Ramen was helping their case. If that turned out to be true he'd have to go down there himself and settle things. It was best if things didn't erode so much that they had to bring in the highest ranking shinigami. 

Takuto nodded. His boss was an odd person. He had thought so before when he had been paired up with Meroko and named after a bowl of onion noodles. It was hard to think your boss was crazy when he looked so serious despite his physical age was the same as yours. "Are there any other shinigami following her? We suspect one of the others that control dreams has attacked her. She woke up in a panic today but couldn't remember anything remotely scary about her dream."

A long pause filled the air with silence as the chief glanced over the papers. He knew what had happened to the girl. Her string with her soul mate had been snipped. Though he didn't have the soul in his possession, his papers were of the magical sort. They updated themselves without any help. A necessity when he was in charge of so many souls. But something about the way this young shinigami almost seemed to challenge him in the way he stood... He couldn't give out this information if Takuto was starting to develop a bond with the case. Perhaps it was time for a check up visit... "No, we don't have anyone else on her case report. Perhaps it was just a nightmare, shinigami Takuto." His formal use of Takuto's title indicated the meeting was over.

Izumi waited until a scowling Takuto vanished before he entered the office. He was surprised to see the normal towers of paper had been shoved to the very edges of the desk. Such a thing was indication something had upset the chief. In fact... such things only happened before the chief started to follow shinigami around. That wasn't good. If he decided to follow Izumi and his trainee... things could get unbearably rough.

"Izumi-kun, how nice of you to join me," the man's eyes twinkled as he watched the cautious shinigami take a seat. "I've seen two of the souls you were sent out to retrieve return, but I don't see your main target. Where is Sakurai Eichi?"

Normally Izumi would have told the truth in this matter. He really would of. But there was one problem marring that ability. If he told that it was Usagi's fault that their client had learned of another shinigami's case, he would be fined for spying. Izumi wasn't about to be punished for keeping an eye on his Me-chan. "The target turned into a ghost and refuses to join his family. I suspect he has strong ties to someone else on earth."

A well toned eyebrow rose in surprise. "A mere mortal was able to withstand the call of the afterlife?" he queried as he frowned faintly. No, there had to be something else going on. If what Izumi was claiming was true that meant that it was one of the rare cases. But the rest of the story didn't add up. Such souls that could resist were usually known about before hand and were taken care of in a different manner. His eyes were sharp and he had to applaud Izumi for being completely still and not betraying any nervousness on his part. A truly wonderful shinigami who he would have to persuade to bring along on one of his poker nights. "I see, well there's nothing you can do about it, I suppose. Though I feel I should warn you that the boy's soul mate is another one of our clients... She's due to die soon and I don't want anything interfering with that. Keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't find his way to her." 

"Understood," Izumi replied as he gracefully got to his feet. As good as he was at keeping his emotions controlled in careful situations, his superior was even better. He doubted the other believed his story but unless he got proof no punishment would fall his way. But there was something nagging at the back of his mind. 

"Oh and, shinigami Izumi?" he smirked to himself as Izumi turned. "I'll be taking a trip to keep an eye on Negi Ramen's case for awhile. After I'm finished with them I'll likely tag along with you and your trainee. So behave yourself, ne?" he cautioned and laughed as Izumi snapped out of the room. It had been a long time since he had to trail shinigami teams. He was going to enjoy every minute of following those two teams.

**

Eichi found himself on a type of guard duty as his companion slept. He had been surprised that she had been so relaxed around him that she could just fall asleep. If he been the vengeful type he could have easily attempted to kill her, was it possible to kill a shinigami? 

Usagi whimpered in her sleep. Flashes of memories assaulted her but these fleeting images of a great battle were lost by the time another set of memories struck her. "No," she whimpered as tears started to trail from closed eyelids. It would be better to either remember everything or not remember a single thing than be teased by these merciless tidbits. "Stop it!"

Eichi had been up at her first plea and had started to try to wake her when he realized she was awake and shaking. "Are you okay?" he had no hard feelings against this girl. She wasn't in charge. It was true that she had been helping the crueler shinigami, and it was true that she had been the one to take his own soul, but he didn't blame her for any of it. 

"I'm fine," Usagi responded as she rubbed away her tears. "Was I dreaming?" the question was more for her than him as she puzzled over what could have brought her into tears. She couldn't remember anything but the thought that she was once important in some odd way. "I guess it was a nightmare," she decided with a forced smile as she turned to the watching ghost. 

Eichi smiled in relief and was surprised about the feeling. It was a shock to realize he wanted to be friends with this girl. "Is Mitsuki happy?" the question had been on his mind ever since he had left her that day that seemed so long ago. If he had known then what he knew now he would of refused to go. He wouldn't have given up a single day with her. He had to know if she had found some sort of happiness.

The rising sun was starting to warm her skin and Usagi paused for a moment to soak in the rays. It was different being a shinigami... The warmth of the sun or a bitter chill didn't affect her as much as it once would have. Now it was the barest touches of warmth from a hot sunny day and there would have to be a blizzard before she could be chilled. "I think she is... She looked happy when she was singing in front of everyone and living out her dream."

"I see..." It was Eichi's turn to fall silent as he envisioned his Mitsuki as a mature sixteen year old. She'd be a lot closer to his age in that situation. Age didn't matter to him. He loved her no matter what but... He forced his mind off that destructive track. "Can I see her?"

"No," Izumi had returned and had caught the last part of the conversation. "You're not returning with us. His serious eyes turned to the frowning Usagi and he shook his head at her. He was in no mood to play her games right now. "No, U-chan," he interrupted before she could object. "He's staying here. He made his own decision not to follow his family. Now we have more clients to take care of. We don't have time to stand here and chat."

Usagi wilted at the scolding and winced as she glanced at Eichi. Was he paler than normal? Or did he look like that because he was a ghost? She wasn't sure but she forced herself to nod. She couldn't convince Izumi to allow Eichi to follow them. "Gomen," she apologized as she turned to follow Izumi out of the clearing.

The shocked and stunned Eichi couldn't force his legs to move as he watched the two walk off into the distance. If he couldn't follow them, he'd find his own way to Mitsuki's side. He remembered Usagi's words and finally got control back of his body. If the shinigami wouldn't help him, he'd help himself and find this Full Moon. A small smile tugged at his lips as he realized just how perfect the name was for her. Perhaps in some way she was trying to find him? The thought sent warm tingles through him and soft laughter bubbled out of him. He was startled at the sound and chuckled softly. It had been a long time since he had been this happy. . He was going to do whatever it took to find her. He'd walk on water, run through fire, even fly to the moon if that's what he had to do. He was going to prove how much she meant to him.

**

A rich black velvet cloak was clasped with a simple clasp as its wearer checked himself out in the mirror. Amused violet eyes studied the sweeping cloak and how it looked against the rest of his attire. Thankfully he didn't look like some villain out of a bad horror flick. In his opinion he looked like a dashing gentleman ready to duel with another over the hand of some fair damsel. Though the thought of an actual damsel set his teeth on edge, he didn't trust women or the idea of love. How humans fell in and out of it so often simply perplexed him. 

He shut his old pocket watch with a click after he noted the time. He was right on time. A perfect chance to meet this Kouyama Mitsuki, and see how his favorite team Negi Ramen was faring. 


End file.
